Furniture bracket



Sept. 19, 1961 R. J. SILVERMAN FURNITURE BRACKET Filed Sept. 21, 1959 E: MENTOR. RUDQ LPH? J. SILVER'MAN ATT'YS United States fatent 3,000,679 FURNITURE BRACKET Rudolph J. Silver-man, 1210 Crofton Ave., Highland Park, Ill. Filed Sept. 21, 1959, Ser. N0.'841,178 9 Claims. (Cl. 311-105) This invention relates to improvements in brackets prtof'iding support for furniture, primarily chairs and ta es.

In the structuring of chairs, tables and like items of furniture, especially for use in public buildings such as schools and churches, etc., there is great advantage if the several pieces which constitute the support can be produced as individual units to permit storage and/or shipment knockdown for later facile assembling at the point of use with the assurance of a stability equal to comparable units shipped completely assembled from the point of production.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of bracket which, in pairs, may be joined in opposed disposition for attachment to legs for the support of a horizontal element, such as a chair or table top; to provide an improved bracket of this kind which may be formed in multiple pieces for adjustable assembling to accommodate subsequent attachment of chair seats or table tops of differing dimensions; to provide an improved bracket of this kind a pair of which may be used with an interposed spacer element for the support of an elongated table top; and to provide an improved bracket of this kind of such simple design as to make highly economical its manufacture and extremely facile its assembling and attachment to furniture units at the point of use.

In the adaptation shown in the accompanying drawmgs;

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of leg-mounting brackets constructed in accordance with this invention, as applied to a seat and back (partly broken away) which is shown in dotted outline.

'FIG. 2 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective of an opposed pair of these brackets and a pair of leg-supporting extensions, the leg extensions being shown partly broken away;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of a table top (shown in dotted outline) supported on a pair of these improved brackets connected to an interposed spacer element; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

The essential concept of this invention involves a substantially V-form bracket of substantially U-shaped crosssection, each arm of which telescopically mounts a legsupporting extension, a pair of the brackets being attachable in back-to-back disposition, either directly one to another or to opposite ends of an interposed spacer element, for support, respectively, of a chair seat or a table top, etc.

A bracket B embodying the foregoing concept is here shown in the form of a metal stamping and comprising a V-form part 5 and pairs of leg-supporting extensions 6, for elective association in pairs either with each other or with an interposed spacer element 7 for the support of a chair seat 8 or a table top 9, respectively.

The main part 5, of the bracket B, comprises a base 11 and a pair of arms 12 and, preferably, is in the form of a metal stamping of rounded U-shaped cross-section (FIG. 4). At their base ends the arms 12 are spaced apart and diverge outwardly from the base 11 so that the base and arms have a substantially V-form. Also, as here shown, the arms 12 taper inwardly toward their outer or free ends. In order to enhance the strength of the base 11 and the arms 12, a rib 13 is formed along the longitudinal median of the base 11 and ribs 14 are formed along the longitudinal median of the arms 12.

Each of the bracket arms 12 has a pair of integrated ears 16 extending outwardly from the open base ends. Each such pair of cars 16 has axially-alined apertures. The pair of ears '16 at the base end of one arm 12. is inwardly offset from the respective planes of the pair of ears 16 on the other arm. This makes possible attaching pairs of brackets B in base-to-base disposition as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Suitable fasteners 17 are used to secure such a pair of brackets B in that functional relationship. Here, the fasteners are shown to be rivets. However, the fasteners 17 could be bolts and nuts, where it might be desired to make subsequent separation of a pair of brackets more convenient than the use of rivets would permit.

The leg-supporting extensions 6, here are shown as separate metal stampings; each substantially U-shaped in cross-section and tapering toward a hub-like end socket 18 for the attachment of a leg 19 by set screws 20. As with the arms 12, each extension 6 has a reinforcing rib 21 formed along the longitudinal median of the extension. Thus, the contour and the dimension of the inner, larger ends of the extensions 6 are such as to permit telescopic face to back positioning within the outer ends of the arms 12 respectively for securing in place by fasteners 22, here shown as bolts and nuts.

To accommodate the fasteners 22, slots 23 are formed along a portion of each of the ribs 14 of the arms 12 and spaced apertures 24 are formed in the ribs 21 of the extensions 6, as clearly shown in FIG. 2.

The sockets 13 here are shown cylindrical to fit over legs 19 of cylindrical tubing. Obviously, the sockets 18 might be of any desired non-circular form to fit legs which are of other than cylindrical in character.

Although separate, telescopically-attachable leg-sup porting extensions 6 are shown, it should be understood that the arms 12 of the brackets B could be made longer than here shown'and integrated with the leg-supporting sockets 18. However, the extensions 6 permit variable positioning on the bracket arms 12 to adjust to seats 8 or table tops 9 of different sizes;

The spacer element 7 here is shown of I-form which, like the brackets B, also may be a metal stamping. As indicated in FIG. 3 the spacer element 7 has an elongated portion or stem 26 of I cross-section and the transverse ends 27 of channel or square U-shape crosssection. At their outer corners the transverse ends 27 are formed with pairs of integrated ears 28 offset and apertured to complement the ears 16 on the brackets B. This permits a pair of brackets B to be secured to opposite ends of such a spacer element 7 to form appropriate spacing of the legs 19 for an elongated table top 9, such as shown in FIG. 3, or a circular table top.

The manner of assembly and the applied use of these brackets B is believed to be so obvious from the drawings and the foregoing specification as to require no further explanation.

It is obvious that the seats of the chair or the table would be fixedly secured to the bracket in any suitable manner as is well known in the art.

Although but one specific embodiment of this inven-' tion is herein shown and described it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the in vention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A furniture bracket comprising a base having a pair of arms attached to the base extending outwardly from the base, the arms being of substantially U-shaped cross-section and disposed with the open sides thereof facing oppositely outward, and integral apertured ears on the base whereby a pair of the brackets may be secured in base-to-base relationship by fasteners extending through the apertures in the overlapping ears on the pair of brackets.

2. A furniture bracket in the form of a metal 'st'am ing comprising a base and a pair of arms attached to the base, the arms being of substantially U-shaped cross-section and disposed with the open sides thereof facing oppositely outward, the arms extending divergingly outward from the base and being tapered inwardly from the base toward their outer ends, and pairs of integral axially-spaced apertured ears at the opposite ends of the base whereby a pair of brackets may be secured in base-to-base disposition by fasteners extending through the apertures in the overlapping ears on the pair of brackets.

3. A furniture bracket in the form of a metal stamping comprising a base and a pair of arms attached to the base, the arms being of substantially U-shaped crosssection and disposed with the open sides thereof facing oppositely outward, the arms extending divergingly outward from the base and being tapered inwardly from the base toward their outward ends, and pairs of inte gral axially-spaced apertured ears at the opposite ends of the base, one pair of ears being oifset inwardly toward each other from the planes of cars of the opposite pair, whereby a pair of brackets may be secured in baseto-base disposition by fasteners extending through the apertures in the overlapping ears on the pair of brackets.

4. A furniture bracket in the form of a metal stamping comprising a base and a pair of arms attached to the base, the arms being of substantially U shaped crosssection and disposed with the open sides thereof facing oppositely outward, the arms extending divergingly outward from the base and being tapered inwardly from the base toward their outer ends, pairs of integral axiallyspaced apertured cars at the opposite ends of the base whereby a pair of brackets may be secured in baseto-base disposition by fasteners extending through the apertures in the overlapping ears on the pair of brackets, a pair of leg-supporting extensions of substantially U- shaped cross-section telescopically positionable on the ends of the respective arms, and fasteners for securing the extensions to the arm ends.

5. A furniture bracket in the form of a metal stamping comprising a base and -a pair of arms attached to the base, the arms being of substantially U-shaped crosssection, the arms extending divergingly outward from the base and being tapered inwardly from the base toward their outer ends, the arms each having a slot disposed along the longitudinal median thereof, a pair of leg-supporting extensions of substantially U-shaped crosssection telescopically positionable on the ends of the arms, the extensions each having apertures spaced along the longitudinal median, and fasteners insertable through the registering slots and apertures for adjustably positioning the leg-extensions on the respective arms.

6. A furniture bracket in the form of a metal stamping comprising a base and a pair of armsattached to the base, the arms being of substantially U-shaped cross-section and disposed with the open sides thereof facing. oppositely outward and each having a reinforcing rib extending along the respective longitudinal median, the arms extending divergingly outward from the base and being tapered inwardly from the base to their outer ends, the arms each having a slot extending along the respective ribs, a pair of leg-supporting extensions of similar but smaller cross-sectional form as the outer ends of the arms and having reinforcing ribs extending along the respective longitudinal median, the extensions being telescopically positionable on the arm ends and having apertures spaced along the respective ribs, and fasteners insertable through the registering slots and apertures for adjustably positioning the leg extensions on the respective arms.

7. A furniture bracket in the form of a metal stamping comprising a base and a pair of arms attached to the base, the arms being of substantially U-shaped crosssection and disposed with the open sides thereof facing oppositely outward and each having a reinforcing rib extending along the respective longitudinal median, the arms extending divergingly outward from the base and being tapered inwardly from the base to their outer ends, the arms each having a slot extending along the respective ribs, a pair of leg-supporting extensions of similar but smaller cross-sectional form as the outer ends of the arms and having reinforcing ribs extending along, the respective longitudinal median, the extensions being telescopically positionable on the arm ends and havingapertures spaced along the respective ribs, fasteners insertable through the registering slots and apertures for adjustably positioning the leg extensions on the respective arms, and pairs of integral axially-spaced apertured cars at the opposite ends of the base, whereby a pair of brackets may be secured in base-to-base opposition by fasteners extending through the over-lapping ears on the pair of. brackets.

8. A furniture bracket in the form of a metal stamping comprising a base and a pair of arms attached to the base, the arms being of substantially U-shaped crosssection and disposed with the open sides thereof facing outward, the arms extending divergingly outward from the base and being tapered inwardly from the base toward their outer ends, pairs of integral axially-spaced apertured ears at the opposite ends of the base, and an I-shaped spacer element having pairs of axially-spaced apertured ears at the opposite ends of the transverse parts of the I-shaped spacer element, whereby a pair of brackets may be opposedly secured to the respective ends of the spacer element by fasteners extending through the apertures in the overlapping ears on the respective brackets and the spacer element.

9. A furniture bracket in the form of a metal stamping comprising a base and a pair of arms attached to the base, the arms being of substantially U-shaped cross-section and disposed with the open sides thereof facing outward and each having a reinforcing rib extending along the respective longitudinal median, the arms extending divergingly outward from the base and being tapered inwardly from the base to their outer ends, the arms each having a slot extending along the respective ribs, a pair of legsupporting extensions of similar but smaller cross-sec tional form as the outer ends of the arms. and having reinforcing ribs extending along the respective longitudinal median, the extensions being telescopically positionable on the arm ends and having apertures spaced along the respective ribs, fasteners insertable through the registering slots and apertures for adjustably positioning the leg extensions on the respective arms, and an- I-shaped spacer element having pairs of apertured ears at the opposite ends of the transverse parts of the =I-shaped spacer element, whereby a pair of brackets may be opposedly secured to the respective ends of the spacer element by fasteners extending through the apertures in the overlapping ears on the respective brackets and the spacer element.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 102,771 Caldwell May 10, 1870 897,520 Brenner Sept. 1, 1908 1,577,842 Murphy Mar. 23, 1926 1,671,736 Meeker May 29, 1928 2,210,047 Stieglitz Aug. 6, 1940 2,425,370 Giherson Aug. 12,- 1947 2,729,526 Humphrey Ian. 3, 1956 2,779,648 Kranz Ian. 29, 1957 2,818,315 Limbach Dec. 31, 1 -7 

